Chopra slips at close, ends 14th at World Golf Championships

Akron (Ohio), Aug 4 (IANS) Daniel Chopra dropped three bogeys in the last five holes and slipped from a potential top-10 position to tied 14th at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club. Indo-Swede Chopra totalled three-under 277 for the week with rounds of 67, 74, 66 and 70. He ended seven strokes behind the winner Fiji’s Vijay Singh, who at 45 years of age showed he is still the star.

Chopra chalked up a 70 as he birdied the second, sixth, eighth, and 10th but gave away a bogey on the ninth and he dropped three more on back nine on 14th, 17th and 18th in his final round.

Vijay, a honorary member of the Asian Tour, overcame nervy putting on the final day to lift the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational title. Singh holed a three-foot par putt on the final hole for a two-under-par 68 and a one stroke win over Australia’s Stuart Appleby and England’s Lee Westwood.

The Fijian star recorded five birdies against three bogeys on the way to a winning total of 10-under-par 270 and his first ever triumph at a World Golf Championships event.

It was Singh’s 32nd title on the US PGA Tour which has placed him in the record books for the most number of wins by an international player.

Korea’s Choi Kyung-ju improved with a 68 and finished in a tie for 16th place, a stroke behind Chopra.

Australia’s Scott Strange posted a 72 and was among those who claimed tied 63rd spot after a 287 total and two strokes back was Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand who shot his second straight 73 to end his campaign in joint 68th position.